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An online journal about visual art, the urban landscape and design. Mary Louise Schumacher, the Journal Sentinel's art and architecture critic, leads the discussion and a community of writers contribute to the dialogue.

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"the firm that's distinguished itself internationally for ecologically sensitive public projects ... with the bamboo to be nourished by collected and heated storm water"

Not sure how running heaters 24/7 to heat an entire park during our 4-6 months of cold weather would be considered ecologically sensitive, let alone fiscally responsible for the City in todays tight economy.

However, good design should be creative, timeless and can be cutting edge to create a destination, without going over the top and becoming impractical.

Of course, Peter and Hans only wanted parking there and the stories of attracting rats soon started thereafter.

I have to say that while i was skeptical about the practicality of bamboo in Milwaukee, it is disappointing that the plan has been "dumbed down". I'm sure aspens will look lovely, but does it destroy the spirit of the original project? It's a shame. Same old tightwad milwaukee.

I have to say that while i was skeptical about the practicality of bamboo in Milwaukee, it is disappointing that the plan has been "dumbed down". I'm sure aspens will look lovely, but does it destroy the spirit of the original project? It's a shame. Same old tightwad milwaukee.

MPS has a $2.2 billion unfunded benefits shortfall and a $230 million operating shortfall, the city streets are the worst condition in decades, business is in the dumper, homes are being foreclosed and abandoned, people are homeless and eating from garbage cans..they need to become tightwads. The plaza's an entryway for a restaurant for God's sake. This thing is a complete waste of money.

Quaking aspen is beautiful at all times of the year and ecologically sound for the midwest. What coffer would have to be tapped to take care of bamboo year round? The spirit of the original project was "dumb" in the first place.

Quaking aspen is beautiful at all times of the year and ecologically sound for the midwest. What coffer would have to be tapped to take care of bamboo year round? The spirit of the original project was "dumb" in the first place.

Quaking aspen is beautiful at all times of the year and ecologically sound for the midwest. What coffer would have to be tapped to take care of bamboo year round? The spirit of the original project was "dumb" in the first place.

i just remember sitting in that meeting listening to new condo tenants saying that they wanted river birch trees and green grass like they had in mequon. then why move downtown? why move to the city's art/fashion/bar/restaurant district? i don't get it.

then you had the developers and restaurant owners spreading rumors that the bamboo would cause rats to take over the neighborhood, all because the seafood place wanted free land for a parking lot.

why wouldn't the developers kick in a little coin to help do something interesting? i guess that's not what developers do here. they create cookie-cutter crap, cash their checks, and spend their money elsewhere.

yes, MPS is a disaster, the parks are running out of money, the streets are terrible, we dump feces into the lake... BUT i would argue that if we started to do some really interesting things here, started getting REALLY creative, people would move here in droves. the tax base would grow and we could afford to continue to do more interesting things.

people don't dream of moving to seattle and portland because of the weather! portland has a 2% for the arts program. public art and parks everywhere. music and art and design are supported. people go out to eat at locally owned restaurants. 20% of the beer sold in portland is microbrews. here it's closer to 2%.

their are great companies there too, with tons of great jobs. why? because those cities have an amazing workforce full of creative people. why are those people there? because of the arts, parks, and schools.

i'm not saying bamboo is the answer, but when somebody has an idea that seems foreign or weird, can we at least listen? try to support them? give them the benefit of the doubt? think about the community before ourselves? nobody ever got anywhere by taking the easy way out.

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Keep up with the art scene and trends in urban design with art and architecture critic Mary Louise Schumacher. Every week, you'll get the latest reviews, musings on architecture and her picks for what to do on the weekends.